Fire Chapter 3: The Trial
by Wren Sharpbeak
Summary: Aang and his companions return to Ba Sing Se, only to find a most unpleasant surprise. Continuation of 'The War Barge' and 'The Battle of Chameleon Bay'
1. Ch 1 Omen

**Disclaimer: **the characters and places in the following work of fan-fiction are the intellectual property of Nickelodeon and, as such, they reserve the right to remove this story at their sole discretion

**Author's Note: **This work of fan-fiction represents the third 'episode' in my speculative version of the next season of 'Avatar: The Last Airbender', so if you have not yet read "The War Barge" and "The Battle of Chameleon Bay", you may wish to do so now or this story will make little sense. A more comprehensive explanation the intent, format, and focus for my stories can be found in the Author's Note at the end of "The Battle of Chameleon Bay" (chapter 8).

Thank you for reading. Please review and enjoy!

* * *

Iroh awoke to a slight shuffling in the dark room and chided himself for having nodded off. He had come to talk to his nephew, but the boy had been asleep when Iroh had arrived at the palace with the Avatar and the others. So he had settled himself in a chair to wait for Zuko to wake up. Hearing the noise again, he risked speaking.

"Nephew, are you awake?" he asked tentatively. There was no reply.

He again heard the noise that had roused him, and he began to feel an unexplained sensation of dread. Getting up, and with the distinct impression that something was very wrong, he slowly crossed the room to the bed. Gingerly he reached down to nudge the shoulder of his surrogate son. His hand fell away in horror as the boy rolled over, staring up at the ceiling with lifeless eyes.

"Zuko!" Iroh cried in panic, fetching desperately about to find a wound or, more importantly, some sign of life. But before he could even begin to find a cause or a glimmer of hope, he was interrupted by a cold, mocking voice breaking the stillness of the night.

"Zuzu's gone to sleep now, Uncle. But don't worry; you'll be joining him shortly."

And Iroh watched in helpless shock as his vision filled with azure fire and his ears rang with the sound of his niece's cruel laughter.

With a gasp, Iroh's eyes snapped open, revealing the faded blue fabric of the tent he slept in. Outside he could hear the sounds of the surf caressing the shore where he and the Water Tribe warriors were still camped. It was not quite dawn, but the old fire bender could sense that the sun would be rising soon.

Still rattled from his ghastly dream, but calming somewhat now that he realized it _was_ only a dream, Iroh slipped noiselessly out of his tent. He didn't want to wake anyone, for last night had been quite an ordeal. The battle had been concluded quickly enough, but navigating the intricacies of a formal surrender from the Fire Nation Commander had kept everyone busy until the fleet finally departed well after the moon had set. Therefore, the retired general was fairly surprised to see that someone was already up.

"Awake so early, young Avatar?" the older man asked warmly.

Aang looked over and smiled weakly in return before withdrawing his gaze back to the fading embers before him. Iroh came and sat down by the fire pit as well, drawing in a steady breath and then, with nothing more than a soft exhale and an almost absent toss of his hand, brought the flames crackling to life. He set some wood onto the pile and looked at the Avatar who was regarding him with mild admiration.

"A useful benefit of fire bending," he said humorously as he began searching the area for his teapot, "is that the campfire is always ready when you want it." When Aang said nothing in reply, Iroh glanced over at him and then back to his tea supplies.

"You seem troubled," he remarked causally.

"I couldn't really sleep," Aang shrugged and Iroh noted that something in the air bender's voice seemed to echo Iroh's own hidden anxiety.

"Bad dreams?" he asked probingly.

"How'd you know?" the boy replied with genuine curiosity.

"I had one myself," Iroh grumbled ruefully in reply. They sat for a while longer in companionable silence as the old man busied himself making tea. It wasn't until Aang had been handed a cup that the boy finally spoke again.

"Do you think that…everything went…ok at the palace?"

Iroh's brow furrowed a bit, the memory of his nightmare still lingering in his mind.

"I'm sure everything is fine," he responded more confidently than he felt and was immediately glad that Toph was not awake to foil his attempt to make the Avatar feel better. Not that it really mattered, because apparently, it wasn't working anyway, and Aang answered as though Iroh had confessed his true doubts.

"Yeah, I'm worried too." And they lapsed once again into a short silence.

"You know," Iroh began cautiously with a sidelong glance, "I have to admit I am surprised at how readily you've accepted my nephew. Happy, of course, but still surprised. After the hardships he has put you through…" he paused and looked back at the fire, suddenly at a loss for words. Aang nodded, somehow putting together the unspoken questions.

"It's strange," Aang said thoughtfully, staring into the flames with his hands wrapped around his teacup, "sometimes I think that I _should_ be mad, that I shouldn't trust him. But…I just…do. It's kind of hard to explain." And he looked over at Iroh as if trying to find the answers there.

Iroh was about to say something in return, but the sound of shifting earth diverted their attention and broke them from the moment. They turned and looked behind them to see a well rested, if slightly disheveled Toph stretching her arms up to the now paling sky.

"Do I smell tea?" she asked hopefully.

"Good morning, Toph," called Iroh cheerfully, "would you care for some?"

"I never turn down good tea," she grinned.

"Finally! Someone who appreciates a good cup of tea!" he beamed.

Once she was settled down with her steaming cup, she turned her unseeing gaze in Aang's direction.

"So, Twinkle Toes, whose butt do we have to kick today?"

"Hopefully no ones," he said with a light laugh. "I think we've _earned_ a day off. Besides, Hakoda's men managed to get most of Appa's new saddle finished yesterday, so as soon as it's ready, we'll be heading back to Ba Sing Se."

Toph let out a frustrated groan, "We're _never_ going to get away from that place, are we?"

* * *

The Earth King frowned with deep concern as he listened to the report from his newly appointed head of security, Captain Heng. Standing alongside the captain was Prince Zuko, and both men looked utterly exhausted.

"We tried to pursue them through the sewers, but they eluded us. As near as we can tell, they've made their way out of Ba Sing Se, but the gate guards have all been doubled and no one is being permitted to leave the city without a thorough inquiry," Heng finished.

"Very well," the King nodded gravely, hoping he didn't look as out of sorts as he felt. His hand reached out to his side habitually to pet Bosco, then slid back to his armrest when he remembered he'd left the bear with Hakoda in Chameleon Bay. He sighed in a manner not wholly befitting the ruler of the Earth Kingdom, and then quickly recovered when he realized that Zuko and Heng were still waiting to be dismissed.

"Ling!" he called, and a servant stepped forward with a bow, "please escort our royal guest" indicating Zuko with slight motion of his upturned hand, oblivious to the frown that crossed the exiled prince's face, "to a suitable chamber, and summon the Council of Five to the Throne Room." Turning back to Heng he added, "You both should get some rest. I'll see to it you are informed if anything new develops."

Bowing respectfully, the two left the chamber, Heng to his quarters in the Dai Li barracks and Zuko trailing behind the servant appointed to take him to a room. Once inside his new quarters, he all but collapsed on the bed, not even bothering to undress and noting, almost idly, that it was a _much_ nicer room than one Azula had put him in during her brief 'reign'.

His mind spun in circles as it played through the events of the past few days; his unwanted rescue from the cell, deciding to join the Avatar, convincing the Dai Li that they were sure to be betrayed by Azula, his conversation with Aang, and the promise the Avatar made. He wondered if the boy had been able to keep his word, and he worried about his uncle's safety before finally drifting off into a fitful sleep.


	2. Ch 2 Family

"Wow, this looks great!" Aang crowed happily, admiring Appa's new saddle. He turned to Sokka suddenly with a quizzical expression. "Is it bigger than before?"

"No. Well, at least I don't _think_ it is. I mean I never had any exact measurement on the old one," the boy answered, trying to sound modest despite his beaming face. "But it's set up differently. See? There are bags on the _outside_ of the saddle to store our stuff, giving more room _inside_ the saddle for _us_."

Aang leapt up into the saddle and looked around at the seemingly larger space with a critical eye. Spotting something the previous saddle didn't have, he bent down for a closer inspection. Cautiously, he pulled up a length of rope that ran the perimeter of the saddle, fastened in at intervals through sturdy leather loops sewn tightly into the saddle wall.

"What's with the rope?"

"_That_," Sokka began triumphantly, "is the safety strap." He climbed up into the saddle and sat Aang down to give him a demonstration.

"You just sit along the wall of the saddle, and loop the rope over in front of you, _then_ someone pulls the rope, like so" and he gave it a tug, snapping the entire length firmly against the saddle and pinning Aang securely to the side, "and then loops it around this ring here to tie it off…and ta-da! Now Appa can fly as erratically as he needs to and no one will fall out!"

Aang looked up, with obvious admiration at the ingenuity, "That's brilliant!"

At this, Sokka reddened ever so slightly, "Well, it was actually Katara's idea, _but_ I figured outthe actual mechanics of how to make it work," and his proud grin returned as he loosened the rope, allowing Aang to stand back up.

"What do you think, buddy?" the air bender asked of his massive companion as he hopped over to the furry head. Appa grunted his approval and Aang turned back to Sokka. "It's perfect!"

"Yes, very impressive," chimed in Iroh, coming up to them with Toph and Katara close behind. All three were carrying various pieces of traveling and camping gear; tents, blankets, and cookware, to replace what they had lost weeks ago when Appa was kidnapped. "You're quite the inventor," the old general complimented.

"He has his moments," quipped Katara. When Sokka shot her a hurt pout, she continued with obvious fondness, "And this is definitely one of them." To which her brother once again smiled.

"Thanks, Sis."

As the group loaded the supplies into the bags, a pair of water tribesmen walked up carrying baskets of food and Hakoda followed behind them with Bosco in tow. Once the bear and the remaining supplies were loaded, the five companions came back down to the ground to say their farewells. Iroh stepped forward and addressed Hakoda with a formal bow.

"Your hospitality is greatly appreciated, Chief Hakoda," he said magnanimously. Hakoda responded with equal sincerity.

"And your help has been invaluable, General Iroh," and he offered his hand in a sign of friendship. The two clasped arms in a warrior's handshake, as the chief continued.

"Should you ever require our assistance in the future, you need but ask and it will be given." The two men smiled at each other warmly before breaking away to let Aang come forth.

"Thank you, Chief Hakoda…for everything," Aang said with a bow. Hakoda shook his head and laid a hand on the young boy's shoulder affectionately.

"It is I who should thank you, Avatar Aang," he replied earnestly, "for everything you've done and everything you have yet to do. All of our hopes rest with you, and we have faith in your success."

Looking up at Hakoda honest face, and seeing the agreement in the surrounding water tribe warriors, Aang was overcome with a range of emotions, all of them beyond description. For the first time since his near fatal encounter with Azula, he felt confident in his ability to carry out his destiny, and it was all he could do to keep the tears from welling up in his eyes as he nodded silently, completely at a loss for words.

As Aang stepped back to stand next to Toph, who was unusually quiet, Katara and Sokka at last came forward and stood before their father.

"My children," Hakoda said in a voice filled with love as he gathered the two of them into a strong embrace, which they returned with equal fervor. They stood there for a short while, savoring the moment, before the elder tribesman finally released them to address each one in turn.

"Sokka," he began, "you truly are the strong and capable warrior I always knew you would be. I know you will take good care of them." He wrapped his arms around Sokka one last time as he continued, "Be safe, my son."

"You too, Dad," Sokka said, not even caring that his eyes were filled with tears.

"And you," said the chief as he let go of his son and turned to his daughter, placing both hands lovingly on her shoulders before pulling her into a hug, "What an amazing young woman you've become. A master water bender," he said proudly, pulling away as if to get a better look at her. He cupped her chin in his hand and almost choked on the words that followed. "You are so much like your mother; so brave, and caring, and beautiful." And he hugged her tightly as she cried softly in his arms.

Aang looked at the scene before him with a fond smile, but it fell somewhat as he finally noticed Toph standing next to him with her head bowed, wearing a look of infinite sorrow, and longing. Without thinking, he grabbed her tiny hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. To his surprise, she didn't pull it away, but merely tightened the grip in reply and let a courageous and grateful smile grace her lips.

"We need to get going," Aang said quietly, obviously hating to end the tender moment. Hakoda nodded as he let his children go and looked over the four youths.

"Take good care of each other," he said before looking over at Iroh, a silent request in his eyes that the general look after his children and their companions. Iroh nodded discretely but meaningfully in return and then made his way up into the saddle.

Once everyone was settled, Aang sat down on Appa's head, and with one last look at the Water Tribe warriors, took the reigns.

"Yip! Yip!" he called. And the great beast rose into the air as Katara and Sokka leaned out over the side of the saddle, waving to their father until he disappeared from sight.

* * *

The soft thump of a closing door jolted Zuko out of his sleep. Sitting up quickly he looked around the room for the intruder, but no one was there. Instead, he spotted an ornate stone tub in one corner of the room filled with steaming water. On a decorative table next to it lay a clean set of clothes and some fresh towels. He growled at himself, annoyed that he'd managed to sleep through the obvious activity of someone entering his room and performing their duties before leaving.

He glanced out the window and realized with some dismay that he'd slept well into the afternoon. With a quiet groan, he stood up and crossed the room to the tub, noticing as he approached that he would have to pass a large freestanding mirror on the way. Without a thought, he pulled off the outer robe of his Dai Li disguise and draped it over the mirror, being careful to avoid so much as a glimpse into the glass.

As he sat down on a bench near the tub to pull off first one, then the other of his grimy boots, he felt the familiar bulge of his pearl dagger tucked away inside the second. Drawing it forth, he stared at it thoughtfully, and then slid the blade free of its sheath.

As if by some cruel trick of fate, he was suddenly faced with his own reflection, his eyes gazing back at him with mild shock. For the first time in years, he saw his scar and, as much as he wanted to, he could not force himself to look away. Mesmerized, he touched the dark half of the image shining on the flat of blade as a soft voice came unbidden from his memory. _"Maybe you _could_ be free of it."_

He shut his eyes tightly; breathing in ragged gasps as he angrily thrust the memories out of his mind. Finally, and with great effort, he slammed the blade back into its casing with a scowl.

* * *

"Well, I see plenty of guards down there, but they aren't throwing any rocks at us so that's a good sign," Sokka said confidently as Appa flew over the palace wall. But naturally, Toph had to ruin his optimism.

"Unless it's a trap," she stated matter-of-factly. Sokka turned to her and glared, then realized it was pointless since she couldn't see him. He was about to make a scathing remark when Katara interrupted.

"No, look!" she cried happily, "There's the Earth King." And sure enough, waiting at the top of the massive stone stairs stood Kuei, waving at them in a most un-kingly fashion.

As the bison landed on the ground, the Earth King could barely contain his excitement. Surprisingly, Bosco was the first to climb out of the saddle and wasted no time ambling over to the man who kept him fed.

"Bosco!" the king rejoiced, throwing his arms around the shaggy creature.

"It's nice to know he's glad to see _us_," grumbled Sokka sarcastically. At this, the king regained his composure and turned to face the arrivals.

"I assume that since you are here, the battle went well?" he asked hopefully.

"Yep," Aang answered cheerfully, "we managed to get a full surrender without a single injury." The boy looked around for the one person who he knew most wanted to hear this bit of news, but Zuko was nowhere in sight. Before he could say anything, however, Iroh beat him to the question.

"Where is my nephew?" and everyone noticed the slight anxiety in the old man's voice.

"He's resting," Kuei soothed quickly, "he had a very long night." When he noticed the raised eyebrows and questioning looks, he explained soberly as they made their way inside the palace. "Things didn't go quite according to plan. Azula managed to escape with the help of her friends and Prince Zuko assisted the Dai Li in the hunt to find her, but without success."

"Then my niece is still at large." It wasn't a question and Iroh was noticeably alarmed.

"We're certain she has already fled the city," the King replied reassuringly, "but we are still taking every precaution." Kuei glanced over at the retired general and spotting the concerned crease in his brow, offered, "I can have someone take you to his room if you'd like."

"Yes, thank you," he responded distractedly as the Earth King motioned one the servants over to guide Iroh through the palace. As the pair walked off into one of the corridors, Kuei addressed the others.

"Is he alright?"

"I'm sure he's fine," Sokka said dismissively. "Probably just anxious to see that the Angry J-…uh…his nephew is still in one piece," he corrected himself just in time as he saw Aang's look of disapproval.

"So!" Sokka drawled brightly, "Did we miss lunch?"

* * *

Iroh paid close attention to his surroundings, carefully seeking signs of anything amiss. The situation was uncannily like his dream, and he swore that he wasn't going to let the outcome be the same. So when he turned a corner and saw his nephew exiting a room at the end of the hall, he let out an audible sigh of relief.

"I think I can find my way back," Iroh said graciously to his guide, and the servant gave a slight bow before leaving.

"Uncle!" Zuko's voice resounded down the corridor, in a rare tone of surprise, relief, and joy all mixed into one. The sound of it coupled with the bright look on Zuko's face made Iroh's heart fill with affection.

He was so overcome with the sensation that he couldn't trust his own voice as the young prince strode toward him. When they finally stood before each other, Iroh impulsively reached out and grabbed Zuko in a swift hug, and was pleased to feel it returned before the two stepped away from each other. Zuko looked down in mild confusion at his uncle.

"Is everything alright?" he asked, slightly perplexed.

"Fine, fine," the old man said with forced gruffness, "just glad to see you are unharmed."

The younger fire bender nodded knowingly as they started back to find the others, but his face darkened a bit when he spoke again.

"Azula got away."

"So I was told," Iroh replied gravely, but he feigned a lighter tone when he resumed, "But there is no point in worrying over it now. We will simply have to deal with her when the time comes."

Still, the old general kept his eyes vigilant as they walked. So intent was he on his surroundings that he didn't even notice his nephew fidgeting uncharacteristically beside him.

"Uncle," the teen began uncertainly, "with everything that has happened over the past few days, I…never got a chance to…to thank you."

"Thank me for what?" came the preoccupied reply.

"For not wanting to leave me behind and…for not hating me," he finished quietly.

This stopped the old fire bender in his tracks, and he grabbed his nephew by the arm, spinning him a bit, as he turned to face the contrite and visibly distressed young man who even now hung his head to stare at the floor between them. Iroh stood there, gaping in shock. _How could he ever think I would hate him?_ His mind reeled; _doesn't he know that's not how it works? _But then, looking at the boy and remembering all he had suffered, Iroh realized he really _didn't_ understand, and how could he? Ozai had never shown him any sign of love, and once again, Iroh could feel his heart breaking for the banished prince.

"Prince Zuko," he breathed when he finally found his voice, "There is _nothing_ you could ever do that would cause me to hate you. I care for you as if you were my own Lu Ten, and that kind of love is given freely, without condition or expectation." He reached up and grabbed the boy by both shoulders, forcing the young man to look into his eyes as he continued. "Even in those times when I disagree with your actions or decisions, it will never cause me to retract or withhold my love for you."

Zuko's throat felt tight, his eyes burning with unshed tears as he looked at his uncle. And when the old man wrapped him in a strong, bear-like hug, Zuko relished the warmth of the embrace. At that moment, Zuko made a fervent vow.

"I will _never_ disappoint you again, Uncle."

"I know, Zuko," he replied softly, as a tear made its way down his cheek, "I know."


	3. Ch 3 Accused

For all his bravado about being hungry, Sokka had a hard time actually eating the food set in front of him. He listened with barely any interest as Aang and Iroh recounted the previous night's battle for Zuko and the Earth King. Looking at the banished prince, Sokka couldn't help but be suspicious; wondering if his former enemy had purposely let his maniacal sister escape despite the King's insistence that Zuko had hunted her until daybreak and was only forced to give up the chase due to sheer exhaustion. And Sokka had to admit, albeit grudgingly, that the fire bender did indeed looked haggard and anxious over the turn of events. At last, the water tribe warrior couldn't stand his own doubts anymore and he pushed his half-eaten plate away.

"I think I need some fresh air," he said, excusing himself from the others and ignoring the worried glances cast in his direction as he walked out to one of the balconies. A short while later, the rest of the group started making their way out of the dining hall, and Katara came up beside him, leaning onto the balustrade without a word.

"I shouldn't have let her go back out there," Sokka said firmly.

"Suki will be fine, Sokka," Katara said gently, "She's a Kyoshi Warrior and has two Dai Li agents with her. The village where the other girls are recovering is only a day away. They'll be back before you know it."

"And what about Azula?" he asked irritably, "What if they run into _her_ again? What if…?" He couldn't bring himself to finish the thought aloud.

"Azula undoubtedly has bigger concerns at the moment," said a soft voice from behind them. The two turned to see Zuko coming over to the balcony as well. Sokka glowered at the intrusion.

"Oh? And how would _you_ know?" he drawled accusingly as he stepped away from the balcony to stand protectively near Katara, arms crossed angrily as if waiting for Zuko to say something that would reveal some hint of betrayal.

"I know my sister," he replied, completely unperturbed. "She'll find some place to bide her time while she plans for another strike. And she _will_ make another strike," he said grimly as he looked at them, before turning his gaze back to the city below and saying, almost to himself, "she always does."

"Humph, persistence must run in the family," Katara mumbled before she could stop herself. This earned her a cold sidelong glare from the fire prince, but it lasted only a moment before it dissolved into a resigned sigh.

"I suppose it does," he replied, almost sadly. "At any rate," he continued with a tone of certainty, "it's unlikely she'll give them a second thought if she doesn't think she can use them in some way. Azula isn't one to waste unnecessary energy, even to further her own goals."

"Well, for _your_ sake, I hope you're right," grumbled Sokka darkly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Zuko asked as he looked over at Sokka, narrowing his eyes dangerously at the tone in the other boy's voice.

"How do we know you didn't _let_ your sister escape?" he replied hotly before he lost the courage to say it.

Sokka was certain he'd pay for the insult. In fact, he fully expected to be hit or burned, and almost welcomed it because that would prove his suspicions correct. So he was beyond stunned when, after a moment of tense consideration, Zuko instead turned away and slammed two flaming fists onto the stone railing with a howl of rage. There was a distinct flash of pain in his eyes as he bowed his head. The siblings backed away, staring at him in confusion and fear as he took several shaky breaths, each one slowly forcing the flames flickering off his knuckles to die out.

"Azula was right, I _should_ have killed her when I had the chance," he finally whispered remorsefully.

"You can't mean that," gasped Katara once she recovered from the shock of what he had just said.

"Can't I?!" he shouted as he spun to face her. "Azula got away, free to wreck whatever havoc she can dream up. People's lives are in danger," he took a labored breath, nearly choking on his own self-loathing, "and it's _my_ fault!" As he started to storm away, Sokka finally spoke up again.

"But…_kill_ her? I mean…she's…she's your _sister,_" he said, horrified at the thought. Zuko paused for only a moment, his voice trembling with quiet fury.

"Don't remind me."

And with that, he stalked off into the late afternoon shadows of the massive palace, leaving the two water tribe siblings staring at each other with a mixture of anguish and regret.

"Way to go there, Snoozles," said Toph, coming out from behind a nearby pillar.

"How long have you been standing there?" he inquired petulantly.

"I heard the whole thing," she replied quietly. Sokka regarded her thoughtfully for a moment, stroking his chin.

"Was he really telling the truth?"

And the next sound out of his mouth was a loud yelp as his sister and Toph both smacked him upside the head simultaneously.

* * *

It didn't take Toph very long to track Zuko down. She had felt the direction he'd headed and in no time, she 'spotted' his unmistakable form sitting at the top of the grand stairway leading up to the palace.

"Hey Princey," she said casually as she flopped down on the ground next to him. "Sure is a gorgeous sunset, isn't it?"

"I…" he started as he looked over at her, and then realizing he was about to fall prey to one of her 'blind' pranks, "How would _you_ know?"

"Oh-ho! Fast learner," she chuckled, "I'm impressed."

"Not funny," he replied dully, as he stared back out the horizon as the light slowly faded from the sky.

"Wasn't trying to be," Toph replied offhandedly. They sat in almost companionable silence for a few minutes before she decided to get right to the point.

"Sokka's an idiot," she stated irreverently, "you shouldn't take what he says too much to heart."

"He has every reason to mistrust me," Zuko replied quietly.

"Maybe, but he's still an idiot," she grinned. When this got no response, she continued more soberly, "and to be quite honest, I don't think he _does_ have any reason not to trust you."

"You weren't there when I chased them halfway across the world," he said evenly.

"You had your reasons, didn't you?"

"That's hardly the point," he growled, suddenly growing tired of the conversation.

"Actually that's the _entire_ point," she responded firmly. "The others may not understand, but _I_ do."

"Understand what?" he replied crossly. She hesitated for a moment, choosing her words very carefully.

"You know, there's not much I wouldn't do to hear my father say, just once, that he is proud of me. Unfortunately, I don't think I can ever do anything to gain his respect. He's ashamed I even exist."

"What?" Zuko stared at her incredulously as he stammered, "I don't understand…how…" His mind raced with a hundred questions, not the least of which was how he could be so transparent to a _blind_ girl. At last, he decided to turn the focus of the conversation back to her, if for no other reason than morbid curiosity.

"Why would _your_ father be ashamed of _you_?" he finally asked.

"Duh!" She turned her face towards him and waved her hand frantically in front of her clouded eyes.

"That hardly seems like a good reason," he frowned as he looked away, but Toph brushed his statement aside as she interrupted, her tone betraying not a whisper of regret.

"It's not, but it's the reason he has and there is nothing I can do to change his opinion."

Zuko scowled a bit, not missing the obvious parallels between her situation and his own, "Have you ever tried?" he said with a hint of accusation.

"Yep," she said stonily, "and it didn't do a lick of good, so I won't waste any more energy on it ever again."

"But," he said as he fought his confusion and loss for words, "Don't you care?"

"Of course I care," she scoffed, "but I'm not about to force myself into becoming something I'm not just to gain his approval." Her voice softened with a twinge of sadness, "Nothing is worth denying who I am…that's something I've learned since I started traveling with Aang." She took a deep breath, preparing to say something else, when her attention was diverted to a pair of light footsteps coming near.

"And speaking of Aang" her tone brightened, "What's up, Twinkle Toes?" she called. Zuko turned around to see the air bender coming out of the palace.

"Hey guys," he greeted them merrily.

"You come out to watch the sunset with us?" she asked nonchalantly, as though the serious conversation with Zuko had never happened.

"Um, I think I missed it already," he smiled sheepishly, as he looked out over the city lights twinkling in the darkness.

"Really? Huh, no wonder it's so darn chilly." She punched Zuko not so lightly in the arm, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Zuko scowled a bit as he rubbed his arm, but his voice was tinged with humor when he answered.

"I must have forgotten you were blind," finally letting a wry smirk tug at his lips.

Aang looked on with a puzzled expression as the other two grinned; suddenly comprehending that he wasn't in on the joke.

"Um, anyway," he started as his friends stood up, "I came looking for you because the Earth King wants to see us in the throne room. He's gathered the council of five to discuss what to do about..." he trailed off as he looked uncomfortably at the banished prince.

"Just say it, Aang," Zuko sighed.

"Well, about the war," he finished lamely.

"Oh joy," drawled Toph as the trio went inside the palace, "this should be _loads_ of fun."

* * *

The Council of Five was already gathered and waiting with Katara and Sokka in the throne room when Aang, Toph, and Zuko arrived. As they entered, they noticed that Iroh was not yet present and the Earth King was addressing the council, but spotting them, he broke off mid-sentence.

"Ah, here is Prince Zuko, now. He and his uncle, General Iroh, were both largely responsible for the successful expulsion of Princess Azula from Ba Sing Se," he intoned grandly to the gathered advisors. Zuko shifted uncomfortably as all eyes turned to him.

"It was hardly a success, considering Azula got away," he said faintly, suddenly wishing to be anywhere but there.

"Ah, but the important thing," Kuei began regally, "is that she is no longer here and in control of the city." The banished prince nodded, but he still didn't feel any better as silence descended for a short while until it was interrupted by Iroh being led into the room by Heng. Iroh made a short bow before the throne as he apologized.

"I am sorry to keep you waiting, Your Majesty," he said with an embarrassed chuckle, "I got a little lost." The Earth King simply nodded and smiled as General How stepped forward.

"General Iroh," he said with warm familiarity.

"General How!" The old fire bender returned cheerfully as he moved to greet the other war veteran, "Long time no-"

But his words were cut short as How made a move so sudden and unexpected that not even Top saw it coming. Before anyone could comprehend what was happening, Iroh was encased in a solid block of stone as General How spoke with calm and sober authority.

"You are under arrest for acts of war against the Earth Kingdom."

_

* * *

_

Commercial break


	4. Ch 4 Arrested

A horrendous silence crashed into the room as everyone tried to digest what had just happened. Zuko's face was transfixed in stunned anguish and he choked desperately to voice his outrage. Aang, however, was slightly more articulate.

"WHAT?!" he shouted incredulously as his jaw nearly hit the floor. The Earth King stood up, finally recovering enough to make a coherent statement.

"I trust you have some explanation for this, General How?" he said, incensed with confusion.

"I do, Your Majesty," replied How confidently as he turned to face the King. "This man is the Dragon of the West. He is responsible for a 600-day siege on the city of Ba Sing Se over 7 years ago and there is warrant for his arrest to stand trial for unprovoked aggressions against the Earth Kingdom."

Kuei, having only been informed less than a week ago that there even _was_ a war going on, of course knew nothing of this, and he stood baffled for a moment before turning to Iroh.

"Is this…true?" he gasped, not wanting to believe that this kindly old man, who had helped restore the King to his throne, could be the same person General How accused him of being.

"It is," Iroh replied steadily, without a trace of emotion.

"Well…this is...a shock," the King blanched and he all but plopped back down into his throne as though his legs were no longer capable of supporting him. "I suppose we should…prepare for a trial then," he said weakly.

With the initial daze having worn off, and seeing the seriousness of the situation, Zuko finally found his voice, and it was seething with fury.

"You can't do this!" he challenged Kuei, taking two long strides to the raised dais.

"Zuko," Iroh called loudly, trying to stop the furious prince to no avail.

"You wouldn't even be _sitting_ there if not for his help, and now you're just-!"

"ZUKO!" Iroh shouted sternly. This time Zuko responded by spinning around to face the still block-encased man.

"Uncle, I am not about to let them-"

"That is _enough,_ Prince Zuko!" he bellowed in a commanding tone that at last stilled his nephew's rant. Seeing the pure agony in the boy's eyes, Iroh continued much more softly, "I am willing to accept whatever trial and punishment is required by their laws, and I will not allow you to dishonor yourself by interfering, Nephew."

At this, Zuko let out such a strangled breath that one half-expected to see a physical wound burning on his chest. He stood there for several long minutes with his eyes and fists clenched tightly as he battled for self-control, before eventually turning back to the throne. When he spoke, his voice was strained and taut, like a dagger raking across the strings of a lute.

"I apologize for speaking out of turn," he said with a stiff bow.

"Under the…circumstances, it's quite…understandable," the King replied, trying to sound gracious but failing miserably. Seeing that things were finally coming under control, General How turned to one of the nearby guards.

"Fetch a set of irons and prepare a cell for-"

"No," Kuei stated calmly to the surprise of everyone in the room. With some measure of restored confidence, he continued, "Prince Zuko is right; I owe this man too much to have him treated as a common criminal." He then turned to face Iroh, "General Iroh, I trust that you will make no attempts to escape?"

"As a former general and a prince of the Fire Nation, I give you my word," he replied solemnly.

"Very well," said the King somberly, satisfied with this response. He then addressed Heng. "Escort him to a suitable room and have him kept under guard." As Heng led Iroh out of the room, Kuei regarded Aang and the others with an expression of resigned exhaustion.

"I don't understand how this can be happening," said Aang in a hopeless whisper that echoed awkwardly throughout the room.

"Neither do I, Aang," the King answered honestly. "But unfortunately, I'm not in a position to do much about it. Just because I am the king, doesn't mean I can ignore the law. Now if you will excuse me, I need to see to getting this trial scheduled. A suite here at the palace has already been arranged for you. If you will follow Ling, he will show you to your rooms," he said with quiet finality.

And with that, the teens were shepherded out of the throne room, but none of them looked back to see the Earth King sigh as he placed a mournful head in his hands.

* * *

"Well, this is just _great_," grumbled Sokka.

The five of them were gathered in the lavishly decorated and spacious parlor of their adjoined suite. There were six doors leading out from it into private rooms, one of which was the same that Zuko had been taken to earlier. Aang and Katara were seated on either side of a low, square dining table while Sokka paced in front of them. Zuko was sitting on a corner bench near the door to his room, one foot on the floor and the other on the seat, with his arms wrapped around his propped leg and his back and head resting against the wall.

"Don't act so surprised," said Toph dryly from her pile of pillows on the floor near Aang. She was lying on her stomach with her feet dangling over her back and her head resting on her folded arms, not caring for once that she couldn't 'see' anyone since it gave her a bit of a break from all the tense emotions of her companions.

"Things have been going way too smoothly the past two days for us not to hit a new snag," she elaborated.

"Smoothly?" asked Zuko in disbelief, looking over at the blind earth bender. "What exactly in the last couple of days has gone 'smoothly'?"

"Well, you and Iroh joined us, which means Aang now has someone to teach him fire bending, we saved Hakoda's ships from getting ambushed, got the Dai Li to swear loyalty the Earth King, found Suki, repelled a Fire Navy fleet, and got the King back on the throne. Of course, Azula got away, but really that's about as smooth as things get with this crew."

"But Iroh getting arrested is a pretty big setback," Katara chimed in glumly.

"It can't be any worse than when I had to stand trial, can it?" asked Aang.

"That's right!" exclaimed Sokka with a burst of hope, "We got Aang of the hook. Surely we can do the same thing for Iroh."

"Sokka, Aang was found guilty in that trial," Katara reminded him grimly, "and the only reason he didn't get boiled in oil is because that sorry excuse for a mayor changed the sentence at the last minute so Aang would get rid of those rhino riding guys. So unless Ba Sing Se gets attacked and Iroh has to fight them off, I don't think we can count on the same outcome."

"Ok," he conceded, "so the evidence we got then didn't work, _but_ that doesn't mean we can't find something to prove Iroh's innocence."

"I highly doubt that," Toph countered, "The siege on Ba Sing Se is very well documented. It's practically legendary. I mean, it was quite an impressive feat, after all."

"Impressive?" piped Aang. "In what way?" he asked curiously, as he turned to look at Toph.

"He went about it with a persistence that would put most earth benders to shame," she replied with an almost reverent tone. "No snazzy drill, no sneaky schemes, just a bunch of metal rams. His army pounded on the outer wall day and night for almost two solid years until they smashed right through it. In fact, I've always wondered why he didn't take the whole city back then. He certainly could have."

"Lu Ten died," Zuko explained softly, not looking at any of them.

"Who?" Sokka asked.

"My cousin Lu Ten," Zuko clarified.

"His son," Toph breathed sadly with sudden comprehension. She remembered now that Iroh had mentioned it a few days ago.

"Oh…"

There was a long silence as the weight of that explanation settled over them.

"Well," Aang hesitated to speak at last, "maybe we can talk to the Earth King and-"

"He won't see you," said a voice from the door. All five teens started in surprise as they suddenly noticed Heng standing in the room. Even Toph hadn't sensed his approach due to the mound of plush cushions she was laying on.

"Gah!" gasped Sokka as he fell back a few steps. "Can't you knock or something?"

"The door was already open," he explained mildly.

"Yeah well, since you're loyal to the Earth King now, do you really have to keep up with whole mysterious and stealthy Dai Li agent thing? It's downright creepy!"

"Why won't the King see us?" asked Aang as he got to his feet.

"Because this is considered an international case, which means the Earth King will be presiding over it personally. Therefore it would be…inappropriate for him to speak with any of you until the trial."

"And when will that be?" inquired Katara.

"Three days," he answered, "which is actually much sooner than it would normally be. The King is pushing General Iroh's hearing through as quickly as he can; even ahead of Long Feng's come to think of it."

"Oh, well _that's_ awfully nice of him," drawled Sokka sarcastically.

"Shut it, Snoozles," Toph snapped before addressing Heng again. "So, will we at least be able to see Iroh in the meantime?"

Heng looked from one expectant face to the other before his eyes finally settled on Zuko, who was resolutely looking away. The Dai Li agent's normally calm demeanor softened a bit.

"I'll see what I can do," he replied gently, and then left the room.

* * *

"You are certain a fixed trial is the only way to go about this?" The Earth King asked as he looked doubtfully at the five men standing across from the massive desk where he sat. The plan they had just presented was a hard pill to swallow, and his fingers were pressed together in front of his mouth in an almost prayer-like fashion as he listed to General How's response.

"Indeed I do, Your Majesty. Word of the Fire Nation Princess's near take over of the city has already reached the lower ring, despite all efforts to keep it under wraps. And while, thankfully, no panic has broken out, the outcome of this trial is crucial to restoring the people's confidence in you."

"And you all agree on this course of action?" the king asked of the other council members, to which each of them nodded. He was about to say something else to the generals but when Heng entered the room, he addressed the head of the Dai Li instead.

"How are they?" he asked with a peculiar note of concern.

"As well as can be expected, Your Majesty," he replied. "They've requested permission to visit," he paused for a moment as he threw a hard look at General How, "…the prisoner."

"I don't think that is wise," protested General Sung. "General Iroh may have been able to placate the Prince, but I doubt he has the same sway over the Avatar and the others."

"Maybe not," said How thoughtfully, "but I do know Iroh to be a man of his word. Even if they tried to attempt a rescue, he wouldn't leave with them. Although I would still feel better about it if he were in the prisons, to appease the public if nothing else."

"The citizens of Ba Sing Se do not need to know _where_ we are keeping The Dragon of the West, only that we have him in custody, and once the judgment has been passed, it will hardly matter anymore," returned the King with a regal show of irritation. "And I agree with you, General How; I do not think he will make any attempt to escape. Permission is granted," he said to Heng wearily. And then, addressing the Council of Five, he concluded, "The rest of you are dismissed."

Once the two of them were alone in the room, Heng turned to the King with a heavy sigh.

"Is all of this truly necessary, Sire?"

"Captain Heng, you should know better than anyone that while Long Feng may have been able to keep me in the dark about this war, the rest of the people in the city are well aware of what's going on outside the walls. After all, you yourself played no small part in making me look the fool to my subjects," he reminded Heng objectively, then continued with a true note of regret, "If I am to regain the faith and loyalty of my kingdom, then this trial must go as planned despite my personal misgivings."

Heng bowed his head with a grim but resigned frown, "Understood, Your Majesty."


	5. Ch 5 Prison

As soon as the servant had told the group that they would be allowed to visit Iroh, Zuko was dressed and out the door. The others opted to have some breakfast first, not only because they were hungry, but also so that the forlorn prince could have some time alone with his uncle.

Zuko fretted as he was led to an inner corridor of the palace, wondering if Iroh was being treated properly. Had they kept his hands bound? Were they feeding him? Was he allowed to have any tea? At this last thought, he almost smiled to himself and it calmed him if only a little. But when he finally arrived at the guarded door, all his fears came flooding back in a bitter wave of doubt and pending loss.

He noted that there were only two Dai Li agents standing post, and it occurred to him that it would be so simple to just knock them both unconscious, grab his uncle, and run. But the thought had no sooner taken shape before angrily cast it from his brain; even if he managed it, he knew that Iroh would not flee. The old man was determined to face his fate and Zuko knew that nothing would deter him once his mind was set.

One of the guards knocked lightly on the door.

"You have a visitor," he said in a businesslike tone before sliding the wooden panel open without waiting for a reply. He then stood aside to let the young fire bender pass.

Stepping inside the room, Zuko came to the realization that he needn't have worried about whether or not his uncle was being well cared for. The room was extravagantly appointed with a soft feather-mattress bed, a stone tub tucked behind an intricately carved dressing screen, and several pillow-laden benches nestled beside and around various teakwood chests along the walls. And there in the center of it all sat a smiling Iroh, kneeling at a wide table with a steaming teapot at his elbow and a Pai Sho board spread out in front of him.

"Nephew!" he exclaimed happily. "Quite the accommodations they've set for me, don't you think?" and he raised his arms up, gesturing at the rich surroundings.

"Just because it's comfortable, Uncle, doesn't change the fact that it's still a prison," Zuko replied morosely as he sat down across the table from Iroh.

"Even so," he retorted lightly, "I really can't complain. It's much better than the dungeons. Care to play a match with me?" he added, indicating the game with a wave of his hand.

"Uncle, you know I'm no good at Pai Sho," Zuko answered glumly, but moved a piece onto the board nonetheless. Iroh chuckled softly.

"True, you've never been able to see past the moment and plan ahead," and he moved one of his own tiles into an opposite position. When he looked up at Zuko after placing his game piece, he noticed that the boy had a pained look in his downcast eyes, and Iroh winced as he silently cursed his choice of words. He hadn't meant it as a reprimand, but the prince apparently took it as one. As Zuko placed another tile, Iroh opened his mouth to try and smooth things over, but his nephew spoke first.

"Uncle, what are we going to do?" he asked desperately.

"_We_ aren't going to do anything," Iroh replied calmly as he looked carefully over the board. He picked up a tile, "_I_ am going to stand trial and face with honor whatever judgment they pass. And _you_ are going to train the Avatar in my stead," he finished as he finally placed his piece. He looked back up to see Zuko staring at him in disbelief.

"You can't be serious!" he gasped.

Iroh sighed sadly.

"Zuko, you and I both know what the verdict of this trial will be. And while I do not expect the Earth King to be merciless in his punishment, we must face the reality that I am guilty of the charges and plan accordingly."

"But, I can't teach the Av-"

"You can, and you will," Iroh interjected firmly. "I saw you with him the other day, and you showed great aptitude for the task. In fact, if I didn't know better," he continued slyly, "I'd say you rather enjoyed being the teacher much more than you ever liked being a student."

"That's not the point," he growled, sliding another tile onto the board.

"Then what is the point, Zuko?" asked Iroh gently. Zuko bowed his head and sat there for a moment as if trying to find the courage to speak.

"I don't want to leave you behind again, Uncle," he whispered.

"Prince Zuko," Iroh began compassionately, "you are a man now, and you have started down a path that you must see through to the end. You can not let my fate keep you from following your own destiny."

"And what _is_ my destiny, Uncle?" he asked pleadingly as his head snapped back up. "I…I thought I knew, but now…" He slumped forward, leaning his elbows on the table and resting his forehead against his hands as his words trailed off in confused silence.

Iroh stared broodingly at the small round tile in his hands. _I should tell him,_ he thought, _tell him what I know: what I saw_. He glanced back up at the troubled young man sitting across from him. _I should have told him long ago,_ he decided. His resolve made, he took a deep breath and held it for a moment.

"You have more visitors," said a voice from the other side of the door.

And the air whooshed out of him as he lifted his head to smile at his guests.

* * *

General How looked up from his papers to greet the man walking into his office.

"Captain Heng," he said stiffly before returning back to his paperwork, "Did you find the…witnesses?"

"I have," answered Heng with a small frown.

"And you have ensured they will give the proper testimonies?" the general asked, intently focused on setting a seal onto one of the many pages spread out before him.

"They have all agreed to it."

"Good, good," How said a bit distractedly before looking up and adding, "you didn't have to...um..."

"No," the captain interjected, "there was no need to use any Dai Li…methods of persuasion. As you suspected, they were more than willing to say what you want them to," he explained grudgingly. At this, How let out a breath of relief.

"That will make this much easier," he said as he rubbed his left temple tiredly. Heng regarded the general coldly for a moment.

"I still don't see why we must go through with this charade of a trial. The sentence has already been decided, so what is the point of further pretense?" he asked crossly.

"We've already been through this, Heng," How growled trough gritted teeth. "The people of this city need to know that the Earth King is on their side and that he can lead them as he was destined."

"But, this…this borders on _cruelty_. After all that man has done to save this kingdom, to restore the King to his throne, how can we just-"

"I don't like doing this any more than you do," How snapped, as he slammed down the metal seal he was holding. "I happen to have a great deal of respect for General Iroh, not only as a worthy opponent but as man of honor. But we are at war with the Fire Nation, and if we are ever to succeed in driving them from our land then the Earth King _needs_ the support and trust of his subjects. The people _must_ be placated. And _this_ is the only way."

"And what of the Avatar and his companions?" pressed Heng, "What of Prince Zuko? Do you really expect they will stand idly by for the next three days and do nothing to stop this?"

"You just stay focused on your tasks, Captain," How replied calmly as he picked up his stamping seal again, "and leave the Avatar and the others to me."

* * *

"You'll have to go easy on me," Aang with a decidedly sly grin as he placed another tile on the Pai Sho board, "After all I haven't played in a hundred years."

"So this is some sort of strategy game?" asked Sokka with interest as he peered over Aang's shoulder.

"Pai Sho is many things," said Iroh cryptically, holding up a red flowered piece before setting it on the board, "a game being only one of them."

Toph sat down next to the old fire bender, and laid her palm flush against the table, fingers spread across the surface as she tried to figure out something more about the game as Aang moved a piece onto the board. Unfortunately, all the tiles looked the same to her and she gave it up to take a sip of tea.

"You didn't make this," stated Toph with a mild grimace of distaste.

"No, it was brought in earlier," Iroh chuckle as he took his next turn, sliding one of the small round tiles forward.

"I can tell," she said, wrinkling her nose. "Yours is much better."

"I've had worse," he replied with a furtive look over at Zuko, but the boy didn't notice. In fact, Zuko didn't seem to be paying much attention to anything. Instead, he sat despondently on a bench as far from the others as possible, apparently absorbed in studying the elaborate carvings on the dressing screen.

"Is it a difficult game to learn?" asked Katara, as she idly stroked the contented lemur sitting in her lap.

"Not at all," replied Iroh cheerfully before assuming a more enigmatic tone. "But there are many secrets to the game which can take years to master."

"So how do you play?" Sokka asked as he sat down to watch.

As Iroh launched into a brief explanation, Zuko looked over at the group of them with a glare. It infuriated him that they could be so calm and happy, so seemingly unconcerned that his uncle was actually a captive here. And when the sounds of laughter echoed throughout the room, he finally stood up and made his way to the door.

"Where are you going, Nephew?" Iroh called.

"Just drink your tea and play your game. I'm going for a walk," he replied disgustedly, not bothering to turn around and look at any of them. Without another word, he left the room.

"What is his problem?" griped Katara to the closed door once he was gone. And then turning to Iron in exasperated confusion, she asked, "Would it really kill him to spend a little time with you considering all that's happening?"

"My nephew is a complicated person," Iroh answered slowly, "and my predicament troubles him much more deeply, and for different reasons, than you can imagine."

Iroh looked around at the four teens, and saw that they were clearly unconvinced. He took a long slow breath before he spoke again.

"I think perhaps it is time you all learned exactly _how_ he came by that scar."


	6. Ch 6 Confessions

Zuko barreled through the corridors of the palace, not even caring where his long, livid strides took him. More than anything, he wanted to scream in rage, smash down the walls, burn the silken tapestries. But instead, he simply moved ahead with a mindless purpose toward nowhere. He kept on walking and didn't stop or notice where he was going until he suddenly found himself squinting against the daylight.

His fury sputtered out into disorientation, as he looked around to get his bearings. He was relieved to find himself standing at the steps of the palace; at least he hadn't gotten lost. Now that he was there, however, he wasn't sure where to go next. So he merely sat down off to the side of the wide platform and put his head in his hands.

He hadn't been there long when he heard a clamor and glanced up to notice a number of palace guards rushing up the stairway in a state of panic. Without even perceiving his presence, they hurried into the palace and addressed the sentries stationed inside.

"Find General How," one of them barked. "We have a problem at the palace gates and we need him here immediately."

This piqued Zuko's interest, and without a second thought, he slipped quietly into the shadow of a towering pillar. No one had detected he was even there…and he intended to keep it that way.

* * *

After finishing his tale, Iroh looked around at the faces of his audience. He had told them everything; about his nephew's outspoken defiance in the war room, the brutal Agni Kai, Prince Zuko's banishment and the terms for his return, Zhao's attempt to kill the young man, Azula's trickery to bring him home, and how the two were now fugitives from their own country.

Everyone but Aang wore expressions of complete shock and distress. Even Momo seemed unusually subdued, as if in response to the palpable sadness in the room. But the Avatar somehow didn't seem surprised so much as pensive, and it was Toph who finally broke the silence.

"I had a general idea about what he was going through with his father, but…I never imagined it was so…_awful_," she whispered painfully.

"How could someone…I mean, if dad had ever…" stammered Sokka, fumbling over his words as he tried to wrap his brain around the mere thought, the impossible _idea_ of ever receiving such a cruel punishment from his own loving father. He turned to Iroh and finally managed a complete sentence, "How can you two even be _related_ to that…_monster_."

"I've often wondered the same thing myself, actually," Iroh responded ruefully. "But now you begin to understand why this situation affects Zuko so."

"He doesn't expect you to receive any mercy," Aang answered quietly with his head bowed. He then looked up at his friends, "_We_ do because we've experienced it. But Zuko…" his voice trailed off for a moment as his eyes became remote. At last, he spoke again, this time to Iroh. "I'm glad you told us this."

"Yeah," Sokka agreed softly, "I never liked Zuko, for obvious reason, and I've had my doubts about him joining us, but this…this puts everything in a completely different light."

"Makes it kind of hard to hate him, doesn't it," Toph said to Sokka meaningfully. The young warrior only nodded silently in reply.

At this point, Aang realized that only Katara had not said anything yet. He looked over to see that she was staring distantly at the Pai Sho board in front of her, as though it were a crystal ball in which she was watching some other occurrence.

"Katara-?" Aang ventured.

"I offered to heal him," she whispered faintly. Everyone turned to regard her inquisitively, but waited for her to explain. She finally snapped out of her unfocused haze and looked up at the others briefly before casting her eyes down again as she elaborated.

"I offered to heal his scar, when we were trapped beneath the city a few days ago. I was going to try using the water from the Spirit Oasis. I don't know why I felt compelled to, it just…he seemed to...to _need_ it. He was so different that day, so _changed._ And I thought…it could help him so much."

"That…that could have changed _everything_," Aang breathed. "Why didn't you do it?" he asked with stunned disappointment.

"You and Iroh showed up to rescue us," she shrugged simply. "I didn't get the chance."

"Oh," Aang mumbled meekly, then the horrible realization dawned on him, and he gasped. "_OH…" _The room tilted dangerously with the horrendous velocity of abrupt understanding as the moment in question flashed before his eyes. _They were standing so close. She was holding the vial of Oasis Water! No, no. I should have listened to Guru Patik, if I hadn't showed up…no wonder he fought alongside his sister. This is practically my fault._ His thoughts broke off as Katara continued.

"Of course, there's nothing to be done for it now," she said softly, more to herself than to anyone else. "I used the water to save Aang. It's gone." There was no regret in her voice, only sorrow.

"It's just as well," said Iroh ponderingly. When the comment was met with gapes of confusion and disbelief, he ventured an explanation.

"I don't think at that time he fully understood that he could never go back home. He still believed that Ozai would forgive him, and removing his scar would only have given him hope that his life could return to the way it was before he was banished. Had you healed him, he'd not even have the scar to remind him of his father's cruelty. In his mind, things would have been perfect. But he would have been wrong, and the Avatar would not have survived as a result. Destiny has a way of making sure things happen as they should," he finished somewhat contemplatively, as if just now comprehending a divine truth.

"And I suppose you think destiny is 'keeping things on track' with this trial?" Sokka mumbled unhappily. He liked the old man, and hated the idea of him being punished for his past.

"Perhaps," Iroh answered musingly. "The fact that I am even getting trial means they have not made up their mind as to whether or not I will face punishment. But regardless of their decision, I am not the one for whom you should be so concerned."

The four teens bowed their heads and looked away somewhat shamefully. They had all been so worried about Iroh that none of them really stopped to consider just how much the possibility of losing him would really affect the banished prince. Seeing that they were starting to grasp this concept, Iroh drove the point home.

"Zuko has never had the luxury or benefit of true friendship. If he is to get through this, he will need your patience and companionship."

"Then that's exactly what we will give him," Aang promised, "_all_ of us."

And the other three nodded in sincere agreement.

* * *

"Well, it looks like you were right about _one_ thing," declared Smellerbee resentfully as she tossed the morning post onto the rickety bed.

"Right about what?" asked the young man through painfully gritted teeth as he slowly eased himself upright. His ribs were tightly wound in bandages and although he was mending and past the threat of death, it still hurt to move.

"Read for yourself," was her simple reply as she stood at a rough wooden table and busied herself with a small basin and a pitcher of water.

Carefully, he picked up the paper and scanned through it. As he turned to the next page and his gaze fell on the image printed there, his eyes widened. Recovering from the shock, they then narrowed darkly.

"So the old man wasn't just _any_ fire bender, but the Dragon of the West himself. And that means his nephew '_Lee_' is actually…." He growled and flung the paper aside.

"Did you read all of it?" she asked as she watched the papers settle to the floor.

"I don't have to," he said, trying to calm down; getting aggravated only made the pain in his broken ribs worse. "I'm just glad the authorities finally caught on to their little masquerade."

"You _didn't_ read it then," she snapped as she snatched the paper up off the floor.

"It's not like the details are that important," he replied wearily and a bit confused.

"Jet, that rumor we heard about the Earth King almost being overthrown was _true_."

"What!?" he exclaimed as he yanked the pages back out of Smellerbee's hands to read it more carefully.

"They _helped_ get the King back on the throne," she said pointedly. "They're on our side now."

"Oh yeah? Then why is he on trial?" he retorted.

"I don't know," she said in a small voice, "but it doesn't seem fair."

"Fair? What's not fair about a couple of fire benders finally getting what's coming to them? You don't actually believe this garbage do you?" he asked as he tapped the pages with his hand. "The whole thing was probably a conspiracy and the Earth King was just lucky enough to uncover it before any real harm was done. The Dai Li were probably in on the whole thing. Why else would they brainwash me and try to keep people from talking about the war?"

"Well, I still don't like it. He may have been the Dragon of the West before, but now he's just a nice old man who is going to be executed even though he finally did the right thing," replied Smellerbee sadly, as she passed a wet rag over her face to clean it.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Jet said coldly, "something doesn't feel right about all of this," as he held up the papers in his hand. "I don't trust it."

"You know," Smellerbee mulled thoughtfully as she slid out of her battered, lumpy armor and picked up a plain brown dress from a nearby chair, "I think I liked you better when you were still brainwashed."

"What do you mean by _that_?" he asked hotly.

"I _mean_," came the muffled beginning of a reply from under the fabric of the dress she was pulling over her tunic, her voice becoming clear when her head popped through the collar as she started straitening the simple gown, "that I _thought_ you were finally going to make good on your promise of starting a new life here, and put this hateful vendetta stuff behind you. But apparently," she continued, pulling her hair back from her face and securing it by wrapping a ribbon around her hairline, "_some_ people just don't change." And she angrily snapped the loose ends into a knot at the base of her neck.

Jet just stared in disbelief at this 'new' Smellerbee as she tied a sash around her tiny waist, all the while casting him a haughty glare. Seeing that he had no reply, she finally spun on her heel to the leave the room.

"Where do you think _you're _going?" he shouted at her retreating form.

"To _work_, Jet," she shot back over her shoulder, "Your medicines and healers don't pay for themselves."

As she slammed the door behind her, Jet crumpled the papers in his hand and furiously threw the wad across the room, hissing at the pain in his side as he did so.

* * *

Much to everyone's surprise, General How did not arrive at the palace stairs alone. A very agitated looking Earth King strode alongside him with a deliberateness of step that no one could ever recall having seen in him before. This made the gathered guards extremely uncomfortable, and this unease was compacted by the fact that it was not the General, but the King who they were going to have to answer.

"What is going on here?" he demanded.

"Your Majesty," said the captain of the guard and he bowed low, "a mob has gathered at the palace gates. They are threatening the sentries and demand answers and information about the Dragon of the West."

"I see…," said the King archly, giving How a perturbed glance that the General refused to meet.

"How would you like us to handle this?" the man inquired hesitatingly, looking back and forth from the King to How, as if uncertain about which of the two he should even be asking.

"Well, General?" asked Kuei with cold expectancy. "This whole thing was _your_ idea. How _do_ you wish to handle it?"

General How seemed to mull the situation over for a moment before finally responding.

"Get the names of everyone gathered at the gates and see to it that they have a seat at the proceedings," he instructed calmly.

Once all the guards had left to carry out their orders, the King raised an eyebrow and addressed the general.

"Far be it from me to question your strategic prowess, General How," he stated with thinly veiled doubt, "but do you really think that is wise?"

"Your Majesty," How responded confidently, "we agreed that the only point of having this trial is to make a public spectacle of the entire affair. Your subjects need to see it with their own eyes and be reassured that the Dragon of the West will never threaten the City of Ba Sing Se ever again. If anything, this mob only _proves_ we are doing the right thing. If we can't quell their demand for blood by rigging this trial, then nothing will ever satisfy them, and all our plans will be for naught."

Having heard more than he could stand, Zuko finally stepped out from his hiding spot: his soft voice as sharp and deadly as hardened steel, and his gold eyes glittering with murderous rage.

"And what plans might those be?"

_

* * *

_

Commercial break


	7. Ch 7 Plea

**Author's Note:** I'm not really big on author's notes but I suppose this can be considered part of the 'commercial break'. Just don't get used to hearing much from me directly; I prefer to let the story speak for itself.

That being said, however, I _do_ want to take a moment to thank the 50 or so people who are bothering reading this fan-fic and let the half a dozen of you who actually post regular reviews know that I deeply appreciate your encouragement. If not for your kind praise, I'd be sorely tempted to abandon this little venture. Thank you so much!

To show my appreciation, I've decided share my first piece of Avatar fan art. I had such a clear visual of the 'new Smellerbee' that I couldn't resist drawing her. So if you'd like to go to www. sasartstudios. com/ samples. html (_remove all spaces in the url_) you can get a more appropriate example of what I tried to describe with mere words (Avatar is originally a visual medium after all).

And now, back to the 'show'.

* * *

The King and the General exchanged alarmed glances before looking back at the seething prince.

"Prince Zuko," began How nervously, "just calm down and hear us out-"

"I've already heard enough!" snarled the furious fire bender, stepping toward them menacingly. His voice was tight with the strain of trying to keep his tumultuous emotions in check. It was really just too much.

Only six days ago, he had awakened from a fevered stupor, feeling happy and relaxed for the first time in over three years. He'd been so ready to put his painful past behind him, to start over fresh and just enjoy a simple future with his uncle. And then Azula had shown up, wrenching him back into the chaos of his wretched life: poisoning his mind and robbing him, however temporarily, of his own humanity.

He'd been flung once more into the crushing reality of his heritage only to find himself caught up in a bizarre series of circumstances that made him finally acknowledge how much he _craved_ that which he had been denied or refused to accept practically his whole life; friendship, family, love. And now that those things were finally within his grasp, he faced losing them all before he'd even had a chance to fully experience any of it.

"This isn't what you think!" cried Kuei hastily. This diverted Zuko's attention just long enough for How to make a move.

It wasn't the wisest course of action the general could have taken, and it didn't help that the enraged teenager was expecting some form of attack. So when it came, the banished prince was more than ready, and the delicate thread of reason fastened taught over his pulsing emotions at last reached its limit.

In short, Zuko _snapped_.

As How bent the stones up from the floor in an attempt to encase the prince the same way he had Iroh, Zuko quickly placed his hands atop the rising blocks, and swung his legs up from in-between them, flipping his body to get behind the stone jaws just as they slammed shut, empty of their intended captive. He no sooner landed on his feet than he was vaulting back over the barrier with an anguished yell and fists blazing.

The general drew up a brick to block the incoming burst of fire just before it would have blasted his face, and the stone was shattered by the force of the blow. As the prince alighted on the ground in front of him, How pushed up that section of the floor, interrupting the shot of flame that Zuko was about to throw and sending it harmlessly over How's head.

By now, the Earth King had gotten out of the way, and watched anxiously as the other two battled.

"I don't want to fight you, boy!" growled General How.

"It's a little late for that," spat the prince, and he whirled around in a powerful kick, flinging another blast of fire from his foot. A wall of stone spun up to deflect the flames, and then shot forward, directly at the fire bender.

Zuko darted to one side, letting the wall sail by him, but before he could recover from his dodge, four more chunks of earth were flying in his direction. He ducked under the first, slid between the next two, and smashed the last one with a burst of flame so hot that when it broke the rock apart into rubble, the smaller bits of it landed as hissing droplets of lava.

General How's eyes widened slightly as he realized he might have severely underestimated the ferocious power of his opponent's unbridled wrath. Frantically he sent more stones at the prince, trying to push him back, but to no avail. Every missile was met with a spectacular and messy end as Zuko knocked them aside with his blazing fists, shattering each one into red-hot debris as he pressed forward.

* * *

The four teens walked down the corridor after leaving Iroh's 'cell' in search of Zuko.

"Do you think he went back to his room?" asked Sokka.

"It's as good a place as any to start," shrugged his sister.

"Should we say anything about what Iroh told us?" wondered Toph.

"No," replied Aang slowly, "somehow I don't think Zuko would appreciate the fact that we know. He might be angry at his uncle for telling us."

"But that's just silly," reasoned Katara. "What's wrong with us knowing? It helped us understand so much about him, how can he resent that?"

"I don't think he'd resent it so much as be embarrassed," Aang explained. "I know it doesn't make any sense to _us,_ but you have to remember that Zuko is _ashamed_ of how he got that scar. He still thinks he doesn't have any honor because of what happened. Until he understands that's not the case, it's probably best if we keep this to ourselves."

"I suppose you're right," Katara sighed.

They walked in silence for a while, and then suddenly Toph stopped. Dropping low, she placed her hand down on the floor to get a better sense of the unexpected rumblings she felt ringing through the palace floor.

"Toph?" asked Aang, "what's wrong-?"

"I think I know where Zuko is," she said urgently, and she sprang back to her feet, darting down the hallway. The other three stood there for half a heartbeat, looking at each other in surprise, which quickly changed to worry. Without a word, they dashed after her.

* * *

As Zuko came nearer and nearer, the flying blocks of stone doing nothing to deter him, How realized that he was running out of options. In one last desperate bid to halt the advancing prince, he stomped his foot on the ground and raised his arms to send a ripple of earth towards his foe.

But the fire bender merely leapt up into the air and over the wave of uneven ground, pulling forth his pearl dagger as he did so, and hurling it at the General. With a loud thud, it buried itself into the pillar behind How, pinning the earth bender's arm by the wrist-guard.

In two strides, the distance between the two was closed, and Zuko ignited a dagger of flame in his hand. Pressing the length of his forearm against his opponent's upper chest and forcing him against the pillar, Zuko angled the fiery 'blade' back towards the other man's neck. The fire sizzled dangerously close to the flesh but was not quite near enough to burn him…yet.

How's heart nearly stopped in panic at the emotion he saw burning in the prince's eyes. It wasn't malice or hatred, or even rage. What he saw there was far more frightening and dangerous. It was _pain_: the pain of a loss so poignant that it would drive this young man to do the unthinkable…and simply regret it later.

This was the scene that the other four beheld as they skidded into the grand atrium of the palace. Their jaws fell agape and everyone held their breath, knowing that any false move might result in the end of a man's life.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you now, take my uncle, and leave," the prince rasped agonizingly. His whole body trembled beneath the sheer onslaught of his feral anguish.

"Because, if you do that," said Kuei gently, coming up behind Zuko to rest a hand on his shoulder, "then how will I be able to grant your Uncle amnesty?"

The flaming dagger dissipated instantly as Zuko spun around to face the Earth King with wide eyes.

"What-?" he gasped in disbelief. But before the king could answer, Aang and the others had come forward and interrupted.

"Wait, you're going to _pardon_ Iroh?" asked Aang incredulously.

"As in, 'not guilty', 'you're free to go', 'case dismissed', 'live long and prosper', 'have a nice life', kind of pardon?" Sokka chimed in.

"That's the plan," said the general matter-of-factly as he tugged the dagger loose and freed his arm. Once in his hand, he looked at the blade with mild amusement. "Well now, _this_ is something I never thought I'd see again."

Zuko turned away from the king to look back at How in bewilderment as the general held up the knife in his hand.

"I gave this to your uncle when we surrendered the Outer Wall," he explained as he handed the weapon back, hilt first, to the astonished prince. "I shouldn't be surprised that he gave it to you; he spoke very highly of you, even then. He said you were an incredibly loyal and fearless boy." How looked at the astonished prince and offered an impressed smile. "It seems you haven't changed much."

Zuko frowned and looked away at this last statement. He didn't want to think about how he had, or had not, changed. Instead, he focused on the current situation.

"You really…you intend to grant my uncle…amnesty…," he said hesitantly to the Earth King, still trying to absorb this new development.

"Ba Sing Se, indeed the entire Earth Kingdom, owes you all a great debt of gratitude for what you've done," Kuei replied earnestly. "Granting General Iroh a full pardon is the right thing to do."

"But, if you've already decided to pardon him," started Aang in a mix of perplexity and annoyance, "then why have a trial at all? Why make us…suffer…through all this?"

"This war has taken a heavy toll on the people of Ba Sing Se," explained General How. "They are worried, confused, and scared. But more importantly, their confidence in the King has been undermined due to recent events. If the Earth King were to suddenly acquit The Dragon of the West, the population might rebel and the entire city would be thrown into chaos."

"Why would they have to know about it all? Couldn't you just pardon him without saying anything?" asked Katara.

"Because if no one else knows about it, then people will still try to track him down," Zuko answered quietly with dawning comprehension, remembering when he had to rescue his uncle from Earth Kingdom soldiers once before.

"Exactly," nodded General How approvingly.

"The people need to see for themselves that General Iroh deserves absolution," Kuei added. "A public hearing will bring his recent deeds to light; make the population…agreeable to his release. He would no longer be a hunted man within the borders of the Earth Kingdom."

"But, why keep _us_ in the dark about it?" asked Aang the King reproachfully.

The Earth King glowered at How, who shifted uncomfortably as everyone followed Kuei's eyes to rest on the general.

"That was my idea," he admitted wearily. "I didn't want to drag you kids into this little conspiracy; I wanted to at least keep _you_ honest and unconnected to our…plan." He sighed heavily as he finished, "I realize now it was…an inconsiderate decision. And for that, I apologize."

The five teens nodded their acceptance of the general's explanation, as there really wasn't much they could say.

"I still have to ask, however, that you tell General Iroh nothing of this," How continued. "It is important that his reactions at the trial be genuine, lest people suspect anything is amiss and cause this entire scheme to fall apart. We've gone to great lengths to engender a sympathetic response to the Dragon of the West's situation. They have to see him as the man he is now, and not the threat he once was. Can you all promise me your silence?"

Again, they all nodded in agreement: all of them but Toph.

"I'll keep my mouth shut on one condition," she declared, "You've _got_ to let Iroh make his own tea. This stuff at the palace is _awful_."


	8. Ch 8 Judgement

Katara gave up on sleeping. With a heavy sigh, she rose from her bed and slipped on a robe, then quietly slid open the door that led into the main room of the suite. Being careful to make no noise, she stole across the parlor to a small tea counter and began fumbling silently in the dim, ever-present glow of the green crystal wall sconces, looking for spark rocks to heat up some water.

"There's got to be a set around here somewhere, it's a _palace_ for pity's sake," she grumbled under her breath when her search left her empty handed.

"What are you looking for?"

Katara nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of Zuko's voice from his door across the room. She whirled around and her hand fell instinctively to her absent water skin, before she realized it was only him.

"You startled me," she whispered as she regained her composure. "I didn't mean to wake anyone," she added apologetically.

"You didn't," he reassured her, "I couldn't sleep."

"Oh," was her meek response. She didn't have to ask why he was restless; Iroh's trial would begin in the morning.

"So what are you looking for?" he repeated his earlier question.

"Well, I was going to have some tea to try and relax," she answered with slight exasperation as she began rifling through the drawers and cabinets again, "but they apparently didn't give us anything to start a fire with."

As she heard him coming up behind her, she straightened and stood aside a bit, half expecting him to open a drawer or box wherein would be the spark rocks, and making her feel foolish for not finding them herself. But instead, he merely picked up the water-filled kettle and held it. She looked at him quizzically.

"What are you doing?"

"Heating the water," he replied simply, eyes fixed on the teapot.

"Oh…I knew that," she said lightly, trying to hide her embarrassment and wanting to smack herself for her stupidity.

For the briefest of instances as she glanced back at Zuko, she could have sworn she saw the faint flicker of a smile tug at his mouth, but it was gone so swiftly that she wondered if it wasn't actually just some trick of the light. Suddenly feeling awkward in the silence, she began stuffing tealeaves into the infuser, while trying to think of something to say.

"Would you like some too?" she finally asked politely. "I'm afraid I'm not very good at making tea though, it's probably nothing compared to your uncle's-" she trailed off nervously.

"It can't be any worse than mine," he mumbled, and again she wondered if she had glimpsed a wry grin tucked in with the remark.

"But weren't you working in a teashop?" she asked genuinely.

"I didn't make the tea," he replied dryly, breaking his gaze from his task just long enough to slide his eyes towards hers for a second.

And this time she was certain that he smiled. It was small, and inexplicably short-lived, but she knew she had seen it and refused to discount the occurrence even after the fleeting expression was replaced with a worried crease in his brow. As he set the steaming teapot back on the counter, she gathered up her courage to try and ease him out of his shell.

"You're really worried about tomorrow, aren't you?" she asked gently as she watched the tea ball drop into the hot water.

For a moment, he said nothing, as if considering whether he should even acknowledge the question. When he finally spoke, his voice was with filled with skepticism and annoyance.

"You honestly think this trial is going to change people's minds?" His tone made the question sound almost rhetorical.

"Don't you?" she asked. looking up at him with slight disappointment at his harshness. He didn't look at her, and was quiet for a few heartbeats before responding.

"Just because a hated enemy one day decides to do the right thing, it doesn't mean the world is going to simply forget who he is and everything he's ever done wrong. It's foolish to think anyone is that forgiving," he answered bitterly, replaying in his mind a certain Earth Kingdom town and an altercation with a bunch of bullies parading as soldiers.

"Maybe," she said slowly, suddenly realizing that it wasn't just his uncle he was talking about now. "But that doesn't mean that people can't forgive, or that they won't. I think most people would be more than willing to see past a person's mistakes and…actions…once they knew all the reasons behind them."

As soon as the words were out of her mouth and she saw the shrewd glower darken his face, Katara turned her attention resolutely to her steeping tea. She didn't dare look at Zuko, for she could feel his suspicious stare boring into her, and she was positive that if she looked him in the eye, he'd know what Iroh had told her and the others.

"Well, we'll find out tomorrow, won't we?" he finally said coolly, and then he walked back into his room and closed the door behind him with a soft 'thump' that rang in her ears like the shattering of glass, despite the fact that the sound had not been loud at all.

It wasn't until she was alone again that Katara realized she had been holding her breath, and when she let it out, she felt so tired that the tea was practically pointless.

* * *

The trial was held in one of the city's largest buildings, which even then had to undergo some slight, last minute modifications due to the sheer number of people permitted to attend. Shops had been closed throughout Ba Sing Se as throngs of citizens came to watch. And when all the seats inside were full, the unlucky souls who couldn't get in crowded the streets outside in order to be among the first to hear the outcome.

The King was situated on a raised platform at one end of the long hall, a thin veil obscuring him from the eyes of those assembled, and he was flanked on either side by members of the Council of Five. Iroh was placed in the very center, on a specially recessed section of floor that allowed the acoustics of the room to carry his voice clearly over the crowd. Behind the accused, a special section was arranged for witnesses, wherein Aang and his companions sat in the front row, while a number of others whom none of them knew were seated behind them.

To Zuko, the atmosphere and arrangement of the room was disturbingly like the Agni Kai arena at the Fire Palace, and so strong was this impression, that for most of the trial he could barely keep his attention focused on what was going on.

There had been murmurs of astonishment when it was revealed that Iroh was a fugitive from the Fire Nation. The audience was then held spellbound as his act of 'treason' at the North Pole was verified in heartfelt testimonies by none other than the Water Tribe siblings. And when the attorney asked if the young warrior harbored any ill will toward the general for his part in Yue's sacrifice, the answer was a steadfast 'no'.

Accounts were given by no less than a dozen other people; a masseur from the lower ring who stated that the old man had turned him from the desperate slide into a life a crime, several regular customers of the tea shop in the Lower Ring where Iroh had worked under the name of Mushi, and the investors of the Jasmine Dragon who received a healthy chuckle from the crowd when they asked if the condemned man might be able to return to his duties as proprietor of their Upper Ring teashop.

By the time the events of Azula's coup d'état and Iroh's assistance in aiding the Avatar's escape had been recounted, the crowd was rendered completely silent. Zuko's involvement was not mentioned, much to the relief of everyone in the Avatar's group. And last, Heng gave his account of Iroh's successful plan to restore the Earth King to the throne, and Sokka was once again called on to provide the details of how Iroh had negotiated the Fire Navy's surrender in Chameleon Bay.

The Council of Five adjourned only briefly to discuss the evidence, and when they returned, the room was shrouded in a stillness so intense that one half-expected to see a visible haze in the air.

"Has the Council reached a recommendation?" intoned the Earth King solemnly. General How stood up.

"We have, your Majesty," he replied calmly.

"And what is your counsel?"

"Your Majesty, given General Iroh's assistance in the preservation of the Earth Kingdom's rightful rule, and due to the testimony provided by Sokka and Katara of the Southern Water Tribe of his retribution on behalf of the Moon Spirit to the benefit of the entire world, it is our belief that the accused no longer poses any threat to the Earth Kingdom, and should instead be considered an ally to the Crown. We propose that he be granted full absolution of the charges brought against him."

A murmur rippled through the hall as Kuei took a deep inhalation before continuing.

"And are there any present who wish to oppose this course of action?"

A steely hush fell over the hall, as everyone held a collective breath. This was the moment that would decide the trial. Should anyone speak out against the suggested pardon, the trial would have to be rescheduled while a new prosecution was arranged. If that happened, the chances of Iroh's release were slim to none. The stony faces of the Council betrayed no emotion, while Aang and his friends waited with eerie calm. Zuko was visibly trembling, despite his best efforts to keep still.

Minutes seemed to linger for an eternity.

"So be it," rang out the voice of the Earth King so suddenly that half the courtroom practically jolted from their seats in surprise. "As the Mortal Embodiment of the Divine Element of Earth, I hereby exonerate Prince Iroh, Son of the Late Fire Lord Azulon, of all charges of unwarranted conflict. Henceforth, the Dragon of the West is absolved in the eyes of the Earth Kingdom. General Iroh, you are free to go."

As the echo of the Earth King's voice faded from the walls, Zuko suddenly felt all the strength leave his limbs, and he half-collapsed across the table where he sat. Like the unleashing of a floodgate, the courtroom suddenly broke out into a racket of turmoil. So drained was Zuko from his emotional ordeal, that it took him several long moments to understand just what he was hearing. And when his jumbled mind finally sorted out the noise, he was dumbfounded with shock; the people were _cheering_.

He hesitantly lifted his head, as if expecting his eyes would somehow betray the sound filling his ears. But there was his uncle, beaming happily and surrounded by a chattering Avatar and his friends, while General How stood nearby with a congratulatory grin. It occurred to Zuko that he should be over there as well, but he was just too thunderstruck to move.

Iroh caught Zuko's gaze and smiled knowingly. This had been a much greater strain on his nephew than anyone could imagine, and Iroh wasn't the least bit disappointed that Zuko had not yet come over. They would have a chance to celebrate later and that was just fine with him. So instead, he merely nodded, and when a soft smile graced Zuko's face, that was suddenly the only thing that really mattered.

* * *

By the end of the day, word had reached every corner of Ba Sing Se that the Dragon of the West had not only been acquitted, but that he would be personally overseeing the Avatar's fire bending instruction. For the most part, the citizens felt this was a tentative first step towards the end of a hundred years of war and the beginnings of a possible peace with the Fire Nation. But there were some, or rather one, who was not at all pleased.

"A pardon. A _full pardon_," Jet spat as he read the battered leaflet Smellerbee had given him.

"He's going to be Aang's fire bending teacher," the girl beamed, but Jet only glowered at her.

"Yeah, right up until that…_prince_," his lips curled as though the word tasted foul, "hands him over to the Fire Lord or murders the Avatar in his sleep. Why don't they just throw open the city gates and let the entire Fire Nation in?"

Smellerbee let out a frustrated sigh.

"Why can't you just accept the reality that not _everyone_ from the Fire Nation is a monster?" she seethed.

"Because I KNOW BETTER!" he shouted, not caring about the sharp twist of pain in his ribs. His dark eyes flashed with such fierce hatred that Smellerbee took a frightened step away from him, even though she knew he was still too injured to do her any harm. It took her a moment to recover enough to speak again.

"Well I don't," she said quietly. "And maybe, just maybe, _you_ don't know as much as you _think _you do." She stood there for moment, hoping her words might sink in, but the furious scowl on his face let her know that nothing was ever going to change his mind, and so she made up hers.

"There's enough coin in the bedside drawer to pay your room for two more weeks," she stated calmly as she started gathering up her things. This actually got a response.

"What, you're going to _leave_ me now?" he said with angry accusation, not really believing that she would. "After everything we've been through together; after all the time's I've saved your _butt_!"

"I'll have Longshot bring you more medicine tomorrow and send the healer back over in a couple of days. He said you'd be able to move around by the end of the week."

"You're really leaving," he gaped, as he realized she was serious. But his shock quickly turned to rage as he shouted at her again.

"You know what, FINE! Just go. It's not like I need your help anyway!"

Smellerbee just looked at him with hurt eyes, and for one swift instant, he almost softened. But before he could take it back or try to apologize, she was gone, and his fury came crashing back.

He slammed his fist into the wall with an outraged cry, and then gasped for air against the pain his sudden exertion caused.

"I can do this on my own," he snarled to himself angrily, "those two fire benders aren't getting off so easy…I'll make sure of that if it's the last thing I do."

* * *

"So you intended a full pardon from the very beginning?" Iroh asked as his jaw dropped.

General How grinned a little shamefully from across the table where Aang, Sokka, Katara, Toph, Iroh, and Zuko were gathered. The rigors of the trail had left them all famished, and the King had ordered a private banquet for them. How had only stopped by for a moment but they insisted he stay and eat with them. After a little prompting from Aang, the earth kingdom general had finally told Iroh about the rigged trial.

"I wish I hadn't needed to be so secretive about it," How said apologetically "but I couldn't risk anything going wrong."

"No need to apologize, General," Iroh waved the other man's concern aside, "I'm merely impressed that you could come up with such a crafty plan. You never really seemed the type," he finished with a sly smirk.

"People can change," How answered meaningfully.

"Yes," Iroh agreed ponderingly as he cast a look over to his nephew, who was too lost in his own thoughts to notice. "Yes they can."

"So will you be continuing on with the Avatar, General Iroh, or will you take up your investors offer to return to the Jasmine Dragon?" asked How with an amused smile.

"You have no idea how tempting that is," Iroh chuckled, much to the disheartened astonishment of the others, "but I do not go back on my word, and I promised to teach Avatar Aang fire bending."

"Actually," Aang chimed in a bit sheepishly, "before we knew you were going to be pardoned, Zuko offered to teach me. He's done a pretty good job of filling in for you over the past few days, so if you really wanted to stay-" he trailed off a little uncertainly. As much as Aang hated the idea of Iroh staying behind, didn't feel it was fair to _expect_ him to come. After all, they would be going back into the Fire Nation soon, and Iroh was still a wanted man there.

"And miss all the fun?" Iroh chortled as he noticed Zuko nearly choke at the thought going facing Ozai as being considered 'fun'. "I wouldn't dream of it. Besides," he added with cunning humor, "I've not yet taught my nephew to brew a proper cup of tea."

Everyone at the table laughed as Zuko simply groaned and dropped his head into his hands. But no one saw that, hidden in the pretense of his annoyance, the prince was actually grinning: for secretly, though he'd never admit it to anyone, this was perhaps one of the happiest moments of his life.

_

* * *

_

-fin-


End file.
